The Jagiellonian University in Kraków (Poland) organizes from 27th-28th June the 12th Global Studies Conference with a special focus on the topic „The ‚End of History‘ 30 years on: Globalization Then and Now“. We invite proposals for paper presentations, workshops/interactive sessions, posters/exhibits, virtual lightning talks, virtual posters, or colloquia. The regular proposal deadline is 27th March. Late Proposal Deadline is 27th May .
Large questions arise. Is the rise of East Asia, China, India and other newly industrialized economies just another episode in the rise and decline of nations, another reshuffling of capitalism, a relocation of accumulation centers without affecting the logics of accumulation? Or does this phase of globalization mark a departure? Does it advance, sustain or halt neoliberalism? The rise of Asia is codependent with neoliberal globalization and yet unfolds outside the neoliberal mold. What is the relationship between zones of accumulation and modes of regulation? What are the ramifications for global inequality?Arguably the twenty-first century momentum of globalization is markedly different from twentieth century globalization and involves a new geography of trade, weaker United States hegemony and a trend towards growing multipolarity. Like a giant oil tanker, the axis of globalization is slowly turning from North-South to East-South relations in trade and finance.
On the subject of cutting-edge globalization there are two big stories to tell. One story tells of the rise of Asia and the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) economies, with the accompanying growth of East-South trade and financial, energy and political relations. In the words of Paul Kennedy, ‘we can no more stop the rise of Asia than we can stop the winter snows and the summer heat’. The other story is one of growing social inequality and major crises in agriculture and urban poverty in the emerging countries.
The new globalization can be mapped as trends in trade, finance, international institutions, hegemony, inequality, social movements and struggles, cultural changes, and ecological dynamics. Here are some trend estimates, indicating some of the dimensions of this discussion:
- Trade: Growing East-South trade leads to a ‘new geography of trade’ and new trade pacts.
- Global value chains: Viewed in terms of global commodity chains, the role of emerging economies in East Asia, China, India, Russia and Brazil appears to be more limited. They generally play a subsidiary part in buyer-driven commodity chains and have so far established few producer-driven chains.
- Finance: The current imbalances in the world economy (American overconsumption and trade and current account deficits and Asian surpluses) are unsustainable and are producing a gradual reorganization of global finance and trade.
- Institutions: The 1990s architecture of globalization (built around the IMF, World Bank and WTO) is now fragile and the clout and influence of emerging economies is growing.
- Hegemony: The United States is losing influence. Arguably, what is taking place, rather than hegemonic rivalry, is global repositioning and realignments toward growing multipolarity.
- Inequality and social struggle: The flashpoints of global inequality are rural crises and urban poverty in emerging economies, chronic poverty in the least developed countries, and international migration. In advanced economies such as the United States social inequality is growing. In terms of political economy, the overall question is what the new trends mean for the emerging twenty-first century international division of labor and the implications of these trends for global futures, in particular from the viewpoint of the world majority.
- Social movements: Social movements have succeeded in influencing policy changes, notably in Latin America. Planetary social movements such as international NGOs are increasingly important in articulating social demands. They also act as watchdogs of international institutions. The World Social Forum is a major global platform for formulating progressive alternatives. A key question, however, is the extent to which progressive movements are driven by opposition to globalization, or an attempt to imaging a different and more humane globalization.
- Cultural change: Overall trends are towards the growing hybridization or intermingling of cultural patterns (new combinations of cultural motifs giving rise to new differences). Geopolitical conflicts and resource wars in many arenas produce local political backlashes. An incipient cosmopolitanism is short circuited in some instances.
- Ecological changes: Climate change and global warming necessitate global collective action.
